Always Take Care Limited

On this page

• Overview
• Learning culture
• Safe systems, pathways and transitions
• Safeguarding
• Involving people to manage risks
• Safe environments
• Safe and effective staffing
• Infection prevention and control
• Medicines optimisation

Safe – this means we looked for evidence that people were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. At our last assessment we rated this key question as good. At this assessment the rating has remained as good. This meant people were safe and protected from avoidable harm.

This service scored 72 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider had a proactive and positive culture of safety, based on openness and honesty. Staff listened to concerns about safety and investigated and reported safety events. Lessons were learnt to continually identify and embed good practice.

We did not look at Safe systems, pathways and transitions during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.

The provider worked with people and healthcare partners to understand what being safe meant to them and the best way to achieve that. Staff concentrated on improving people’s lives while protecting their right to live in safety, free from bullying, harassment, abuse, discrimination, avoidable harm and neglect. The provider shared concerns quickly and appropriately.

The provider did not always work well with people to understand and manage risks. However, staff provided care to meet people’s needs that was safe, supportive and enabled people to do the things that mattered to them.

People had care plans and risk assessments in place which identified key risks associated with their care and support needs. However, these did not always contain sufficiently detailed, person-centred guidance for staff on how to safely support individuals with their specific healthcare needs.

The provider had developed comprehensive guidance documents and handbooks that were available within each person's home. However, person centred information relating to the management of individual health conditions and associated risks was not consistently reflected within care plans and risk assessments. This meant staff were required to refer to multiple documents to access essential information about people's care.

Records demonstrated staff understood people's needs and had appropriately escalated concerns when changes in health or wellbeing were identified. Staff took timely action to seek advice and support from relevant healthcare professionals where required. There was no evidence people had come to harm as a result of the gaps identified in care planning documentation. The concerns were shared with the provider during the inspection, and prompt action was taken to address them.

The provider detected and controlled potential risks in the care environment. They made sure equipment, facilities and technology supported the delivery of safe care.

The provider made sure there were enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff, who received effective support, supervision and development. They worked together well to provide safe care that met people’s individual needs.

We did not look at Infection prevention and control during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.

The provider made sure that medicines and treatments were safe and met people’s needs, capacities and preferences. Staff involved people in planning, including when changes happened.